Comb-frame lifter.



No. 871,489. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

G. E. DOW. 00MB FRAME LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1907.

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CHARLES E. lIDOW, OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.

COME-FRAME LIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. `19, 1907.

Application tiled January 28| 1907. Serial No. 3543 83.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Dow, oli

- Plymouth, in the county of Plymouth and State oi Massachusetts, have invented cerrectangular form,

This invention has for its object to provide a device for lifting comb frames used in bee- 'hives for Ithe bees to build their honeycombs upo'n.` 'It is customary to place a series of these frames side by'side, the framesbeing of and having vertical end pieces which are wider at their upper ends than the' horizontal top pieces of the frame,

so that narrow spaces exist between the horizontal top pieces or bars. In removing the 'comb frames with the combs therein contained, it is necessary to grasp each Vframe by are usually more or its top bar, and lilt it from its place in the hive. In view of the close proximity ol the 'frames to each other less stuck together by beeswax and honey, it is often a matter of some di'liiculty to grasp the Vframes with sul- 'icient firmness to raise them from their places in the hives.

My invention has for its object to provide a device which will effectively perform this operation, and it consists in a comb Yframe lifter comprising a pair of levers connected by a ulcru-m pin, and having longer arms and shorter arms, the longer arms'constituting handles, while the shorter arms are formedas thin jaws adapted to be inserted betweenthe sides of top bars oi adjacent comb frames, each jaw having at` its inner edge' aninwardly-projecting shoulder adapted to abut against the upper edge ci the top bar'between the two jaws, and limit the depth of `insertion of the jaws between the frames,so that the jaws will not be liable to crush andinjure the combs below the top bars. j Of the `accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents an edge view of an appliance embodying my invention Fig. 2 represents a side view of the same.` Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 1 on a reduced scale, showing the jaws engaged with the top bar of a comb frame.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the igures.

Myimproved comb frame lifter is com- -ing to force the and of the Afact that they posed of two levers, each having a longer arm 12 and a shorter arm 13, the levers being connected by a fulcruin pin 14. The longer arms 12 are formed as handles adapted to be grasped by one hand oi the operator, -and closed together against the pressure of a spring 15 attached to one oi the handles, and bearing against the other, said spring tendhandles apart. The outer portions of the shorter arms 13 are widened and reduced in thickness and flattened, so that they constitute relatively thin blades or jaws 16 adapted to be inserted in the narrow spaces between the top bars 17 of adjacent comb frames 18, as shown in Fig. 3. Each jaw 16 has at its inner edge, an inwardlyprojecting shoulder 1Q, said shoulders being adapted to abut against the upper side ol" the top bar 17 between the two jaws 16. The

width el the shoulders 19 is suchv that when the jaws 16 are adjusted to simultaneously enter the spaces at opposite sides of a comb frame, one or both olE the shoulders will abut against the upper surface of said top bar, and -thus prevent the jaws from passing downwardly between the frames far enough to crush any projecting portion or portions of the honeycomb below the top bar.

The described device is used by inserting the jaws 16 in the spaces at opposite sides of the top bar ot' the vlrame to be removed, until the shoulders abut against the upper edge oi said top bar, and then closing the jaws 16 together by inward pressure on the handles 12 until the top bar is firmly grasped by the jaws. The lifter is then raised, and draws the Aframe from its position, the bearing of the shoulders 19 on the upper edge of the -frame enabling the operator to hold the frame firmly between the jaws without liability of the tipping of the frame. One of the liandles 12 is preferably extended and reduced at its outer end to forni a blade 20, which is preferably proportioned like the blade el" a screw driver, and is adapted to be used as such, or to loosen the frames before raising them, the frames being often caused to adhere to their supports in the hive by wax', etc,

I claim:

A comb frame lifter comprising a pair of levers connected by a 'fulcrum pin and havying longer arms and shorter arms, the longer arms constituting handles, while the shorter arms are reduced 1n thickness and 'llattened to form wide tlun jaws adapted to be inserted between the sides 'of the top bars of adjacent In testimony whereof I have affixed my comb frames, each jaw having at its inner signature, in presence of two witnesses.' edge an inwardly projecting shoulder adapted to abut against the upperedge of the top- CHARLES E' DOW' 5 bar between the two jaws, and limit the Witnesses: y

depth of insertion of the jaws between the ARTHUR N. WOOD,

frames. v W. 0.1HATH4WAY. 

